did the Buddha teach any sitting practice that comprised just observing wherever the mind is in the present moment? Not purposefully bringing it in to the body, or to anywhere else in particular, but rather, just observing whatever is apparent with equanimity, following it wherever it may go (with the exception of very unwholesome things), even observing how attentiveness itself ebbs and flows? In short, just keeping watch over the mind?

Kind regards

Last edited by manas on Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

did the Buddha teach any sitting practice that comprised just observing wherever the mind is in the present moment? Not bringing it in to the body, or anywhere else in particular, but rather, just observing whatever is apparent with equanimity, even observing how attentiveness ebbs and flows? In short, just keeping watch over the mind?

Kind regards

Third tetrad of Anapanasati.

" He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out releasing the mind.'

It depends how it is done.
A lot of great success can be made by observing the mind, indirectly via kayanupassana or vedananupassana and are excellent preliminary practices to cittanupassana or dhammanupassana, and can take one to Nibbana in their own right.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

did the Buddha teach any sitting practice that comprised just observing wherever the mind is in the present moment? Not purposefully bringing it in to the body, or to anywhere else in particular, but rather, just observing whatever is apparent with equanimity, following it wherever it may go (with the exception of very unwholesome things), even observing how attentiveness itself ebbs and flows? In short, just keeping watch over the mind?

Kinda. The satipattana sutta is clear that one is to discern how the hindrances are abandoned, and the factors of awakening are developed. While that requires knowing however the mind is at any given moment (when the mind has passion, discerns that the mind has passion... When the mind is restricted, he discerns that the mind is restricted. When the mind is scattered, he discerns that the mind is scattered... and so forth) it's not simply a matter of passively watching the mind do whatever indefinitely.

"When one thing is practiced & pursued, ignorance is abandoned, clear knowing arises, the conceit 'I am' is abandoned, latent tendencies are uprooted, fetters are abandoned. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body." -AN 1.230